


Triptych

by loki_scribe



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: Comment Fic, Gen, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-06
Updated: 2011-10-06
Packaged: 2017-10-24 09:02:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/261531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loki_scribe/pseuds/loki_scribe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three heads watch the world change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Triptych

Things change. Even in Hell, things change, and Cerberus notices things.

He notices the change of the seasons, winter turning to summer, because the nose closest to the underworld always knows whether or not Persephone's about, can breathe in the wildflowers she smells like. She fills the underworld to that nose, strange and earthy in a way home never is without her. So different than the other six months of the year, when everything feels and smells like Hades, the tang and cold of precious metals.

He notices the way the rest of the world changes, as well as his home. The nose closest to the surface inhales as Charon rows in with the dead. On the heavy days, he can smell sickness when it's plague and blood and dirt when it's war. As the years pass, the likely illnesses change, from pox to plague to flu, and the battle wounds go from the slash of sword through armor to holes that reek of gunpowder, but the other two heads are always prepared, to let tired victims pass or growl at the ones with more life in them, the ones likely come back to the gates and try to leave.

And the middle head is up, watching, listening to the other two heads and making decisions, looking after his home. Even when it needs to nap, or appears to nap, there are two other heads to do its job. Home is never without a watch dog.

And occasionally, when the shade of a dog loyal enough follows their master into the underworld, Cerberus looks at the one head, one nose, two eyes and ears, and wonders at how normal dogs manage, only being able to focus on one thing at a time. No wonder they run in packs.


End file.
